The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-19
fnPROvED FARMING.

looking toward the mandatory de-
velopment, and with II the sudden
growth Of mining towns and manufac-
turing co communities, we should not 80
loee our heads in schemes OF specula.
ton as to lose sight OF the Importance
OF developing our farming lands.
There is no surer OF more direct way
Of doing this than by demonstrating to
immigrants aud the outside world
what can De done on our light soils by
what we ourselves have accomplished.
What immigrant or investor cares to
settle in community where every
thing is in a dilapidatsd condition and
everybody anxious to sell and get
away from it7 With the imp 1rtation
Of valuable breeds OF cattle into our
own community the question Of feed
production becomes one of burning
Importance 10 the farmer. We do not
speak OF the "planter," whose ideas
are generally considered too lofty to
descend to such affairs, unless 1t be
TO draw upon his "smok shouse" and
bsrn in the North or Northwest. Bot
we mean the man OF moderate means
AID small possessions who may bs In
crsasing or improving his stock and
restoring his lands. To this class the
question Of stock iced is OF the highest
importance. No greater progress in
this direction has been made than may
be traced in the history Of enslage.
Until six years ago very little had
been heard Of 1t. A few had read OF
the experiments OF Mr.. 0. B Potter, Of
New York, in 1877, and Francis Nor.
ris, OF Maryland, from 1879. But from
the date Of the Ensilage Congress, held
in New York In 1882, and psrhaps as
early as 1880, the agricultural jounsls
took up the subject and shed all the
light upon 1t that the limited expert
eEce with the system Ia this country
had up to that time generated. Com
parStively few Of our farmers are read
ers Of agricultural papers, and very
few Of them have kept advised OF the
progress the new system has been
making in the Northern and Eastern
States. In parts Of Gsorgla and Ala.
bsma ensilage is no longer an expert
ment, but an accomplished fact-a
factor all important in the dairymsn's
and stock raiser's equipment. For the
benefit Of those who have not had &C
cess to works and papers on this subj ct
We state that the system was fret put
in practice by August GoHart in
France 10 1873 1t is the method Of
preserving grsen fodder crops in air
tight watts or buildings called silo,, by
means OF pressure on the top, which
eIpels the air as the fodder sinks.
Some idea may be gotten Of the rapid
advance made, by the discovery Of
NJ. Goffars, in this country from the
following from late writer OF repute:
''In 1880 there were six silos in the
URited Statss; now there are nearly
two thousand and the number Is rap.
idly decreasing. In West Virginia
and at Rockville, Tenn, II has been
succet sIully used. And finally, 1t
has been tried in our own community
with excellent result. We have ex
amiued sample Of the ensilags made
by Mr.. Dlbney M. Scales on his dairy
farm, and from him and the geutle-
man who inspected the siIo when 1t was
opened we learn that the experiment
has been eminently successful, Mr..
Scales is confident that the quantity
OF milk has been increased 20 to %
per cent, while by the addition
Of the ensil ige ration the quality
has been improved at least from
% to 80 per Centum. The improve
ment 10 not only in richness but in
havor, also, Of tho milk From Mr..
Scales we learn further that the flavor
and sRestnss is much the came as
spring clover milk. LIS sweetness Is
remarkable. The contents Of his silo
was chiefly late corn and sorghum,
both cut too late in the season to ad.
NIT OF obtaining the best results from
either, and that the yield per acre can
0e increased with proper care. One
may count, with ordinary care and at.
tention, upon crop. of twenty tons
of green corn per acre, This, when
ensilaVed, is worth (by reliable esti-
rnstes) or equal to six or seven tons
Of the best timothy hay. Think Of
the value Of the system 20 our South
ern country, which pays annually
millions Of dollars for Northern and
Western grown timothy hay. The
best crop (aad that, too, must be an
extraordinary season) for our lands is
from one and a half to two tons timo-
thy per acre. With this system we
have the equivalent OF six tons per
acre, aud in much more convenient
shape for feeding. PROT Stewart, Of
Albany, N. Y, estimates the cos. Of
raising sod curing the ensilsgs at 81
psr ton aud that three tons are equiv
lent to one ton of the best timothy
hay. This reduces the bsst timothy
hay or its equivalent to So pr ton,